What are some good, cheap vegetarian options to pack for lunch?

My boyfriend and I are recently converted vegetarians and we're having a hard time coming up with ideas for affordable lunches to bring to work. So far we've been packing hummus, PB%26amp;J, couscous, and fruit. However, it's getting a bit repetitive. Help!What are some good, cheap vegetarian options to pack for lunch?
You don't say what kind of vegetarian

Vegan?

Lacto-Ovo?

Pescatarian?

How about pasta with Pesto sauce

Grilled veggie wrap with balasmic vinegrette

A cheese, avocado, and lettuce wrap

Vegetarian soups - bean, lentil etc.

Pizza!

Salads
I'd get a thermos, that is what I use to bring to school everyday, if you have something to heat it up in, then a thermos isn't needed, but it's very helpful and is easy to bring lunches in.



Some of my favorite are:



Vegetarian chili over brown rice with some sort of veggie/fruit I like cucumbers.



Veggie and bean soup. (My favorite is white beans, carrots, celery, onions, and potatoes.), a piece of homemade french bread (Or any french bread) and some fruit/vegetable or a yogurt.



Peanut Butter and Nutetlla sandwiches. (This isn't the most terribly healthy, but it's yummy.) some sort of fruit or veggie (I like carrots and clementines).



Couscous salad is yummy. With some fruit.



Pasta is easy, just make some sauce or use what you have sauce wise, make some pasta, mix together, then make a nice side salad.



If you ever just have leftovers, those are great too. I make extra of whatever I"m eating for dinner so I can eat them for lunch the next day.



Also making meals on Sundays is easy and then you freeze them and voila.



I hoped some of these helped. :DWhat are some good, cheap vegetarian options to pack for lunch?
When my son went to public school we struggled with meal plans for lunches. Here were some of our favorites



Pita with hummus, sprouts, tomato, side of yougurt and fresh fruit



Taco pasta salad-whole wheat pasta cooked, mayo, chopped tomato, taco seasoning, sour cream, black beans, cilantro, onion, cheddar shreds



Thermos of veg chili with cornbread



cold bean salad



personal quiches which you can make ahead and keep frozen. They are good at room temp or easy fritatas you make the night before



cold leftovers that you can microwave such as fried rice



meat free deli slice sandwiches



falafel



vegetarian pasta salad/potato salad. My favorite is a personal invention which meat eaters love. Its tortolini (mushroom or cheese) tossed with fresh spinach, chopped portabello mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes and a jar of pesto sauce. Easy.
Get some carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. Wash it, cut it up and take it with a small pakage of salad dressing. It makes great snacks and can be filling. You can also prepare leftovers from meals and get "doggie" bags from restaurants which you can reheat, if necessary. Make sure you get your necessary nutrients too if you've just converted.What are some good, cheap vegetarian options to pack for lunch?
you can make burgers out of these kinds of beans. get on a bean rotation so you don't get bored :)



black beans

pinto beans

lentils

red beans



there are many other beans but those are the ones that work for me.



DONT FORGET THE FALAFAL



a lot of vegetarians just fill up on pasta all the time and thats not a good way to go.



for sandwichs you can use:

seitan

giant portobello caps

watercress with tofu-creamcheese (or real creamcheese)



those packaged vegeburgers and Quorn etc are junkfood dont get in a habit of relying on them. they are all salt and added fat and over priced.
Stir fry over borwn rice, with tofu or not.



Make a vegetaraian chili.



Bean soup with spinch or cale in it, and a slice or corn bread.



Salads packed with beans and veggies.



Make a fake chicken slask/tuna salad with mayo (if you eat real or veganaise) a touch of mustard celery salt etc... with tempeh. It's actually Very tasty. (grapes sliced in half are great in this as well as some candied nuts)



You could put the fake chicken/tuna salad versions in a wrap wth roman lettuce
Pasta salad

Cold sesame noodles

Chickpea salad sandwich

Salad pitas (fill with hummus, lettuce, tomato, onion, sprouts etc)

Eggless egg salad (made with tofu)

Mexican wrap (peppers, onions, tomatoes, avocado in a whole wheat wrap) Add salsa right before eating)
Pasta, Chinese Food, Indian Food...mmm...
pita bread and stuff it with whatever veggies you want. Delicious!
There's a goldmine of things for you to have - my personal favourites at the minute are pita bread, soups and wraps.

I'll pass you a few of my own recipes here.



Pita bread recipe:

You'll need - 1 x pita bread.

1 x iceberg lettuce

1 x cucumber

1 x pot of creamy cheese

1 x green or red pepper

1 x chilli grinder

1 x bottle of chilli sauce (replaceable for salsa)

1 x tabasco bottle

1 x block of cheese (my personal favourite is Mexicana)

1 x pot of mixed herbs



Grill or toast the pita so that it rises but is still soft - then cut it open. Watch out for the steam inside, it might be very hot. I've burned myself countless times here. =D

Mmm~ After that, spread the creamy cheese on the inside (both sides if you are so inclined, it doesn't need to be too thick) and grind on the chilli, and pour on a few herbs (being careful not to overpower if with them, because things like rosemary can have a very strong flavour).

This is done now because the creamy cheese almost acts like an adhesive to hold them on better, stops 'em going everywhere.

Lovely.

Next step is to cut up a few strops from the pepper and lay them on diagonally for a better fit.

Just four or five will do - don't go overboard.

Then, pour on the chilli sauce or salsa. Again, don't make it overpowering.

Add the tabasco here as well, then pop on a few slices of cucumber. Three or so usually does the trick.

Pop on the grated cheese and add the lettuce, and you're ready to enjoy. =D



Next recipe!



Parsnip and rosemary soup.

What you'll need -

1 x big saucepan

10~15 x parsnips

1 x tub of crem茅 fraiche

1 x jar of rosemary

1 x jar of chilli powder

1 x seasalt grinder

3 x sweet potatoes

3 x carrots

1 x black pepper grinder

1 x bottle of milk

1 x jar of ground ginger



Ok, this one's a bit of a toughie!

If you have a blender, this'll really help.

First of all chop up the vegetables and blend with milk, if you have a blender. If not, mash up the vegetables with milk as if you were making mashed potato.

Now you should have Mashed Potato, Parsnip, and Carrot in milk. Not helpful, eh?

If you've blended / liquidized them, put the mix into the pan and set on a medium heat. Add water equal to one third of the depth of the pan, just enough so that it's not too thick and not too runny.

More water can be added if you want a different consistency.

Heat until bubbling then add in the spices / herbs, stirring all the while. Be careful with the ginger and rosemary, it's easy to add too much or too little here.

I'd say the best thing to do is to keep trying it and seeing how it's tasting, adjusting from there.

At the final moment, the only thing left to add would be the crem茅 fraiche. Add according to your own personal tastes.

Then you should have a badass soup!



The only other things I can really recommend is to try making your own recipes, that's what I did.

Try out something simple like stuffed peppers - try filling them with couscous, cheese, or turkey stuffing.

Or, try getting some "Quorn" - that stuff's amazing, especially to cook with. Try adding some into your pita!

Basically, I think it'd be a good idea for the two of you to just set aside a day on the weekend and have a bit of fun in the kitchen getting to know your tastes and trying out new things.

New recipes, a bit of fun, and it'd be a positive thing for your relationship too. :3



Hope I've helped, and enjoy being a vegetarian!